Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
Is There a Santa Claus? was the title of an editorial appearing in the September 21, 1897 edition of the New York Sun. The editorial, which included the famous reply "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus", has become an indelible part of popular Christmas lore in the United States and Canada. The editorial articulated the view of Santa Claus as embodying the spirit goodwill of the holiday season. The primary idea is that as long as the spirit of goodwill exists, then Santa Claus will be real and alive in the hearts of children, the young at heart, and adults world-wide. History In 1897, Dr. Philip O’Hanlon, a coroner's assistant on Manhattan's Upper West Side, was asked by his then eight-year-old daughter, Virginia (1889–1971), whether Santa Claus really existed. Virginia O'Hanlon had begun to doubt there was a Santa Claus, because her friends had told her that he did not exist. Dr. O’Hanlon suggested she write to the New York Sun, a prominent New York City newspaper at the time, assuring her that "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." While he may have been passing the buck, he unwittingly gave one of the paper's editors, Francis Pharcellus Church, an opportunity to rise above the simple question, and address the philosophical issues behind it. Church was a war correspondent during the American Civil War, a time which saw great suffering and a corresponding lack of hope and faith in much of society. Although the paper ran the editorial in the seventh place on the editorial page, below even an editorial on the newly invented "chainless bicycle," its message was very moving to many people who read it. More than a century later it remains the most reprinted editorial ever to run in any newspaper in the English language. In 1972, after seeing Virginia O'Hanlon's obituary in the New York Times, four friends formed a company called Elizabeth Press and published a children's book titled Yes, Virginia that illustrated the editorial and included a brief history of the main characters. The book's creators took the book to Warner Brothers who eventually did the Emmy award-winning Television show based on the editorial. The History Channel, in a special that aired on February 21, 2001, noted that Virginia gave the original letter to a granddaughter, who pasted it in a scrapbook. It was feared that the letter was destroyed in a house fire, but thirty years after the fire, it was discovered intact. Some people have questioned the veracity of the letter's authorship, expressing doubt that a young girl such as Virginia would refer to children her own age as "my little friends." However, the original copy of the letter appeared and was authenticated by an appraiser on the Antiques Roadshow in 1998. Its value was appraised by Kathleen Guzman, formerly of Christie's—now with PBS' Antiques Roadshow—at $20,000–30,000. Text of the New York Sun Editorial VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood. Virginia's identity Virginia O'Hanlon's full name is Laura Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas. She was born on July 20, 1889 in Manhattan, New York. Her marriage to Edward Douglas in the 1910s was brief, and ended with him deserting her shortly before their child, Laura, was born. Virginia was listed as divorced in the 1930 United States Census. Virginia received her Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College in 1910; a Master's degree in Education from Columbia University in 1912, and a doctorate from Fordham University. Virginia was a school teacher in the New York City School system. She started her career as an educator in 1912, became a junior principal in 1935, and retired in 1959. Virginia O’Hanlon received a steady stream of mail about her letter throughout her life. She would include a copy of the editorial in her replies. In an interview later in life, she credited the editorial with shaping the direction of her life quite positively. Virginia died on May 13, 1971 in a nursing home in Valatie, New York. She is buried at the Chatham Rural Cemetery in Chatham, New York. Legacy Every year, Virginia's letter and Church's response are read at the Yule Log ceremony at Church's alma mater, Columbia College of Columbia University. -sbueIxiIpE Video of a scene from the 1991 made-for-TV movie Yes, Virgina, There is a Santa Claus staring Richard Thomas and Charles Bronson. Link to full size video The story of Virginia's inquiry and the Sun's response was adapted into an Emmy Award-winning animated television special in 1974, animated by Bill Meléndez (best known for his work on the various Peanuts specials) and featuring the voices of Jim Backus and Jimmy Osmond. In 1991 it was adapted into a made-for-TV movie staring Richard Thomas and Charles Bronson. PbVEo1gduMQ Video of advertisement for Macy's 2010 Presentation of Yes, Virginia on CBS. Link to full size video Another remake, a CGI animated story called simply Yes, Virginia, was first aired in 2009 on CBS with Beatrice Miller as Virginia, Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Alfred Molina providing the lead voices. In New York City, local television journalist Gabe Pressman has recounted the story each Christmas for the past thirty years. zQewL6STYhk Video of Gabe Pressman retelling the Christmas tale of a little girl who writes the New York Sun about Santa Claus on New York City’s NBC Station on December 25, 2008. Link to full size video On the 100th anniversary of the original publication, the NY Times published a celebratory article. In 2003 "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" was depicted in a mechanical holiday window display at the Lord & Taylor department store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. In 2009, The Studio School in New York City, honored the life and legacy of Virginia O’Hanlon. Janet C. Rotter, Head of School, announced the establishment of the Virginia O’Hanlon Scholarship, speaking passionately about The Studio School’s commitment to offering need-based scholarships for students of merit. New York Times – Yes Virginia there is a scholarship at the Studio SchoolStudio School Virginia Scholarship FundHead of School Janet C. Rotter presents Virginia O'Hanlon scholarship At8LWFsJcN8 Video of Macy's 2010 Make-a-wish collect a million reasons to Believe. Link to full size video Virginia, depicted as a young cartoon character, is part of Macy's 2010 Christmas campaign and appears in their 2010 holiday commercials, inviting children to stores to write "Yes Virginia Santa Letters," and at the Macy's department store on 34th and Broadway in Manhattan as the theme for its 2010 holiday windows. Virginia's descendants continue her legacy. References in popular culture * Both Virginia's letter to the New York Sun and the editorial reply have been featured on the NORAD Tracks Santa website from 1997 to the present. VyxY4SJl8Wk Video of "Yes, Virginia" on CBS' The Early Show with Harry Smith on December 17, 2010. Link to full size video * In 2010, Virginia O'Hanlon was represented as a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. * Yes, Virginia, a 2009 animated Christmas special, is a fictionalized version of the Virginia O'Hanlon story. The film is directed by Pete Circuitt and animated by Starz Toronto, makers of Tim Burton's 9''. It features the voice talents of Beatrice Miller as Virginia, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Neil Patrick Harris, and Alfred Molina. zgJ5fgqA80M Video of the 2008 Macy's holiday commercial which featured Jessica Simpson, Donald Trump, Martha Stewart and others quoting various popular lines from "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." Link to full size video * The 2008 Macy's holiday commercial features Jessica Simpson, Donald Trump, Martha Stewart and others quoting various popular lines from "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgJ5fgqA80M Macy's Christmas Commercial: Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus!] from YouTube The opening lines appeared again in the 2009 holiday commercial featuring Queen Latifah.[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY1cQ_7ursQ 2009 Macy's Christmas Commercial: Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus! featuring Queen Latifah] from YouTube YY1cQ_7ursQ Video of the 2009 Macy's holiday commercial which featured Queen Latifah. Link to full size video * The Dresden Dolls used ''Yes, Virginia... as the title of their second album. The story of Virginia and the New York Sun article is also referenced by the track "Mrs. O". The Dresden Dolls' 2008 compilation album, No, Virginia... featured a dead Santa Claus on the cover as a humorous reference to its namesake. * "Weird Al" Yankovic used the line "Yes, Virginia, now Santa's doing time" in his Christmas parody, "The Night Santa Went Crazy". These lyrics were changed to "Yes, Virginia, now Santa Claus is dead" for the "Extra Gory Version". * In Season 1 Episode 5 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Detective Munch expounds "Yes, Santa, there is a Virginia" when the missing person of interest Virginia Hayes is found in Grand Central Station. * MTV's animated series Daria made several references to the letter in its five-season run. * In the TV show Veronica Mars, the tenth episode of the first season ends with the line "No Veronica, there is no Santa Claus" * In his book Liberwocky, Victor Gold includes a parody of the editorial, listing reasons why Santa Claus is "wanted" by the U.S. government. * Season 4 episode 14 of Hercules: the Legendary Journeys, is an episode titled "Yes Virginia, there is a Hercules". At the end of this episode it is revealed that Kevin Sorbo (the actor who portrays Hercules in the show) is in fact Hercules, and exists in the present day. * In Season 2 Episode 13 ("Strangled") of Crossing Jordan, Dr. Nigel Townsand, criminologist, exclaims: "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!" after he hears some good news. * In 1950 Wolcott Gibbs of The New Yorker wrote a satirical version of the Church letter, parodying the style of Westbrook Pegler, and depicting Santa Claus as an old communist and union racketeer also known as Comrade Jelly Belly.Collected in Gibbs's More in Sorrow, 1958. * John Steinbeck wrote a parody 'Yes Joe, There Is a Santa Claus' in a letter to Joseph Bryan III dated December 17, 1957.Steinbeck: a life in letters. ed. Elaine Steinbeck & Robert Wallsten, Pan: London, 1979. * When the Detroit Lions won their first game of the 2001 season after losing their first 12 games, Jay Leno, who mocked the Lions for losing all season long, joked "There was a new Christmas movie released this weekend. It was called 'Yes, Detroit, There Is An End Zone.'" * Cartoon Network also used, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," as a slogan during the 2008–2009 holiday season. * In the Marvel Holiday Special, an ex-employee of Stark Industries named Virginia remodels a version of Ultron into Santron, to prove to her childhood peers that Santa does exist. It goes AWOL and proceeds to attack the Avengers at their holiday party and is defeated. The Avengers pay a visit to Virginia, and Captain America makes a speech, affirming that "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." * In the 2005 movie, Santa's Slay, Bill Goldberg, as Santa, uses the line before going on a violent rampage at a family Christmas Party. * In the Christmas Special of Alf a portion of the editorial is read. * The Freedom From Religion Foundation ran a bus ad campaign with the slogan "Yes, Virginia, there is no god." * "Yes, Virginia, there is a Cthulhu" is a parody of the letter in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. The posting is attributed to Steven Harris, and is variously listed as "originally appeared in Jan, 1997", or "posted to alt.horror.cthulhu in April of 1999". * In the show Recess, the name of its Christmas episode was called "Yes, Mikey, Santa does Shave". * On the fourth flight day of Apollo 8, the first human mission to orbit the Moon, after reestablishing radio contact with mission control in Houston, command module pilot Jim Lovell replied to CAPCOM Ken Mattingly's attempt to reestablish contact, saying, "Roger. Please be informed there is a Santa Claus," to which Mattingly responded, "That's affirmative. You're the best ones to know." * The movie Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street has an episode that parodies the tale called "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave." * In one of the many macabre cartoons Charles Addams published in The New Yorker magazine, a creepy-looking newspaper editor with a frightening grin is hunched over his desk, penning an editorial that includes the line "Yes, Virginia, there is a boogeyman." * In an episode of Warehouse 13 Artie says "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." References * American National Biography. "Virginia O'Hanlon". V. 16. 1999. p. 645–646. * Notes External links * Wikisource:Is There a Santa Claus? * WikiMedia Commons Category: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus * [http://www.yesvirginiatv.com Yes Virginia] (2009) Animated Holiday Special on CBS Dec 11. Official Site. * Full text of the editorial with digital image from the original newspaper. From the Newseum, Arlington, VA * * * CBC radio interview of Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas in 1963 * (Audio files of the text by eight different readers) * WTEN – Albany PBS – video of Virginia O'Hanlon reading the editorial to children in the 1960's.